Sergio Abit

Dr. Sergio Abit is a Professor in the Department of Plant and Soil Sciences at Oklahoma State University (OSU), with a dual role as Plant & Soil Sciences Extension Specialist for Onsite Wastewater Management. He holds a Ph.D. in Soil Science from North Carolina State University (2009) and has been at OSU since 2012. His primary appointment is 85% teaching, focusing on courses such as Environmental Soil Science and Fundamentals of Soil Science. He also oversees undergraduate coordination and serves on the Environmental Science Program Steering Committee. His research emphasizes subsurface pollutant dynamics, pathogen transport in soils, and environmental impacts of wastewater systems. Abit leads statewide septic system education efforts and chairs multiple departmental committees. He has received prestigious awards including the Distinguished Early Career Faculty Award (2018) and the Alpha Zeta Outstanding Teacher Award (2019).

Education:

• B.S. in Agriculture (Soil Science), Visayas State University, Philippines (Exact year not specified)
• M.S. and Ph.D. in Soil Science, North Carolina State University (2005 and 2009)
• Postdoctoral Research with USDA-ARS (2009–2012)

Research Interests:

Dr. Abit’s work focuses on:

• Subsurface fate of dissolved pollutants (e.g., nitrogen, phosphorus)
• Soil amendment effects on pathogenic bacteria migration
• Environmental impacts of wastewater effluent application

Grants and Outreach:

He leads grants such as "Determination of Optimum Subsurface Absorption System Sizes in OK" (2017–2019) and coordinates extension activities like the Oklahoma Onsite Wastewater Conference. His peer-reviewed publications (e.g., Journal of Environmental Quality, Geoderma) and extension guides address septic system best practices and soil health.

Awards and Recognition:

Abit’s accolades reflect his teaching and research excellence, including the 2016 USAID-STRIDE Fellowship for Visayas State University collaboration and OSU’s Outstanding Faculty Member of the Year (2017).